ARES FMG
A folding submachine gun designed for covert personal defense.
The ARES FMG is a folding submachine gun created by Francis J. Warin of Oak Harbor, Ohio, during his time at Eugene Stoner’s ARES Inc. Warin intended it for concealment and covert operations, calling it a “businessman’s personal defense weapon.” The idea reportedly came from a wave of kidnappings targeting executives and VIPs in South America in the early 1980s. The FMG never reached full-scale production.
Its main feature is a box-like folding design that, when collapsed, resembles an old-fashioned metal commercial radio and is about the size of a cigarette carton. It can be unfolded and readied to fire in seconds. The weapon could be folded with a loaded 20-round UZI magazine; a 32-round magazine was available but prevented folding. The original prototype used a World War II German MP40 magazine, while the second prototype switched to UZI magazines and added a three-shot burst mechanism.
The FMG inspired Russian and Ukrainian copies that are nearly identical except for caliber, magazine type, and added folding sights. Despite online references to a fictional “ARES II FMG,” the actual weapon was only chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum.
Similar weapons include the UC-9, a 9×19mm folding submachine gun built by Utah Connor in the late 1980s using some Uzi parts and featured in the 1990 film *RoboCop 2*; the Russian PP-90, a 9×18mm Makarov folding submachine gun from the 1990s by KBP Instrument Design Bureau; and the Magpul FMG-9, a 9×19mm submachine gun using some Glock parts, unveiled at the 2008 SHOT Show.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- United States
- Is Ranged
- yes
- Designer
- Francis Warin
- Design Date
- 1984
- Manufacturer
- ARES Incorporated
- Weight
- 2.09 kg
- Length
- 503 mm extended / 262 mm folded
- Part Length
- 220 mm
- Cartridge
- 9×19mm Parabellum
- Action
- Blowback
- Rate
- 650 rounds/min
- Feed
- 20- or 32-round box magazine
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The ARES FMG was designed by Francis J. Warin while he worked at Eugene Stoner's ARES Inc. Warin allegedly conceived the weapon as a defense tool for VIPs and CEOs following a number of kidnappings of such persons in South America during the early 1980s. The weapon is unique in that it folds into a box shape, roughly the size of a cigarette carton, and its appearance deliberately resembles an old-fashioned metal commercial radio. It can be unfolded and made ready to fire in a matter of seconds.
The original prototype used a World War II German MP40 magazine. The second prototype used UZI magazines and added a three-shot burst mechanism. The weapon could be folded with a loaded 20-round UZI magazine; a 32-round magazine was also available but prevented folding. The ARES FMG was only chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum.
The weapon inspired a Russian and a Ukrainian copy, which are almost identical except for caliber, magazine, and folding sights that were added. Descriptions of a fictional "ARES II FMG" exist on the web, but no such model was actually produced.
Reader's Guide
The ARES FMG is notable for its innovative folding design, which allowed it to be concealed as a small box resembling a commercial radio. Although it never entered full production, its concept influenced later folding submachine guns such as the Russian PP-90 and the Magpul FMG-9. The weapon's design was driven by a specific perceived need for discreet personal defense among business executives in the early 1980s, a context that shaped its form and function. The FMG's use of UZI magazines and its three-shot burst capability in the second prototype reflect practical considerations for a compact defensive arm. Its legacy is primarily as a design study and a precursor to similar folding weapons, rather than as a widely deployed firearm. The existence of Russian and Ukrainian copies indicates that the concept was adapted and continued in other countries, though with modifications to caliber and sights.
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